Handheld accessory for tablet computers

ABSTRACT

A handheld accessory for tablet computers is disclosed, which comprises: a retaining component, configured with an accommodation space, that is formed inside the retaining component, and at least two claws, that are to be used for fixedly holding on to the periphery of a tablet computer; a rotary component, disposed inside the accommodation space of the retaining component while allowing the same to rotation clockwisely and counterclockwisely inside the accommodation space; and two movable brackets, mounted on the rotary component by the use of a plurality of fixing elements while allowing the two movable brackets to sway in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction on the rotary component.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to handheld accessory for tabletcomputers, and more particularly, to a handheld accessory that isadapted to be fixed onto the backside of a tablet computer. Moreover,the handheld accessory is configured with movable brackets that aredesigned for facilitating a user to grasp between his/her fingers, andthereby, to be used as a handle for the tablet computer when thehandheld accessory is attached thereto. Consequently, the handheldaccessory can be very helpful to a user holding the table computer for asubstantial period of time. Moreover, the movable brackets can beretracted into the frame of the handheld accessory for facilitating thestorage of the tablet computer when the tablet computer is not in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nowadays, the trend toward smaller, lighter and thinner designs over theyears has presented particular challenges for electronic device tobecome portable devices that can be carried everywhere easily and usedin all kinds of settings. Moreover, with the current advance in touchcontrol technology, keyboards are no longer considered to be theessential components for most electronic devices so that the volumes ofmany such keyboardless electronic devices with touch control panels canbe minimized to even half of those equivalent electronic devices usingkeyboards. For instance, the volume of a tablet computer is about halfof that of a notebook computer. Consequently, the tablet computers isbecoming more and more popular on the market, resulting that the marketshare of the notebook computers is decreasing.

The most popular tablet computers today are those tablet computers with10-inch touch screen and weighted under 1000 g. However, those tabletcomputers still are too big to be grasped by hand, but most often beingheld and supported in the palms. Nevertheless, the holding andsupporting a tablet computers on the palms for a substantial period oftime can be very tiresome, despite that the tablet computer issignificantly lighter than conventional notebook computers. Moreover, asthe tablet computers are most often being used as video players ordigital photo frames, it is not suitable for the tablet computers to belay flat on the tabletop while being used for playing a video or photos.Therefore, it is in need of a handheld accessory for tablet computersthat is capable of overcoming the aforesaid disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the disadvantages of prior art, the primary object of thepresent invention is to provide a handheld accessory that is adapted tobe fixed onto the backside of a tablet computer. Moreover, the handheldaccessory is configured with movable brackets that are designed forfacilitating a user to grasp between his/her fingers, and thereby, to beused as a handle for the tablet computer when the handheld accessory isattached thereto. Consequently, the handheld accessory can be veryhelpful to a user holding the table computer for a substantial period oftime. Moreover, the movable brackets can be retracted into the frame ofthe handheld accessory for facilitating the storage of the tabletcomputer when the tablet computer is not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handheld accessory,capable of using its movable brackets as a support to a tablet computerwhen it is being placed on a desktop. Moreover, since the movablebrackets of the handheld accessory are coupled to a rotary component,the tablet computer can be arranged vertically or horizontally whilebeing tilted by an inclination angle, and thereby, facilitating theviewing convenience of a user to the display panel of the tabletcomputer, especially for a comparatively long period of time.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a handheldaccessory for tablet computers, which comprises:

-   -   a retaining component, configured with an accommodation space,        that is formed inside the retaining component, and at least two        claws, that are to be used for fixedly holding on to the        periphery of a tablet computer;    -   a rotary component, disposed inside the accommodation space of        the retaining component while allowing the same to rotation        clockwisely and counterclockwisely inside the accommodation        space; and    -   two movable brackets, mounted on the rotary component by the use        of a plurality of fixing elements while allowing the two movable        brackets to sway in a vertical direction and in a horizontal        direction on the rotary component

Preferably, the retaining component is configured with four claws.

Preferably, the retaining component further comprises: two concaves,provided for the two movable brackets to be received therein inrespectively while being arranged horizontally.

Preferably, the retaining component further comprises: a groove,disposed at a position corresponding to a flange formed on the rotarycomponent that is provided for the flange to inset therein, and thusenable the rotary component to rotate with respect to the retainingcomponent when the rotary component is assembled to the retainingcomponent.

Preferably, the rotary component further comprises: a fixing block,provided for the plural fixing elements to bore therethrough.

Preferably, each of the two movable brackets is configured with ahandle, provided for a user to grasp between his/her fingers.

Preferably, each claw has a pad attached to the inner side thereof.

Further scope of applicability of the present application will becomemore apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However,it should be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a handheld accessory for tablet computersaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a three dimensional view of a handheld accessory for tabletcomputers according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a handheld accessory mounted to atablet computer that is being arranged in a first working status.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a handheld accessory mounted to atablet computer that is being arranged in a second working status.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

For your esteemed members of reviewing committee to further understandand recognize the fulfilled functions and structural characteristics ofthe invention, several exemplary embodiments cooperating with detaileddescription are presented as the follows.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which are an exploded view and athree dimensional view of a handheld accessory for tablet computersaccording to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, thehandheld accessory for tablet computers comprises: a retaining component1, two movable brackets 2 and a rotary component 3, in which theretaining component is further configured with an accommodation space11, two concaves 12, four claws 13, a groove 14 and a cushion plate 15;each of the two movable brackets 2 is further configured with a handle21 and a plurality of via holes 22; and the rotary component 3 isfurther configured with a plurality of fixing elements 31, a pluralityof via holes 32, a fixing block 33 and a flange 34. The aforesaidcomponents can be assembled by mounting the movable brackets 2 on therotary component 3 for allowing the plural fixing elements 31 to borethrough the via holes 32 of the rotary component 3 and the correspondingvia holes 22 of the movable brackets 2. In addition, the rotarycomponent is further configured with a fixing block 33 that is arrangedfor the plural fixing elements 31 to bore therethrough so as to fixedlysecured the movable brackets 2 to the rotary component 3 while allowingthe two movable brackets 2 to sway in a vertical direction and in ahorizontal direction on the rotary component 3, as shown in FIG. 2.Moreover, by the two concaves 12 formed on the retaining component 1,the two movable brackets 2 can be lay flat and thus receivedrespectively into the two concaves 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the groove 14of the retaining component is formed at a position corresponding to theflange formed on the rotary component 3 for allowing the flange to insettherein, and thus, when the rotary component 3 is assembled to theretaining component 1, the rotary component 3 is received inside theaccommodation space 11 while allowing the same rotate clockwisely andcounterclockwisely inside the accommodation space 11. Furthermore, eachof the two movable brackets 2 is configured with a handle 21 so as to beprovided for a user to grasp between his/her fingers.

Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, which are a schematic diagram showinga handheld accessory mounted to a tablet computer that is being arrangedin a first working status, and a schematic diagram showing a handheldaccessory mounted to a tablet computer that is being arranged in asecond working status. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the handheldaccessory of the present invention is adapted to be fixed onto thebackside of a tablet computer 4. Consequently, as the handheld accessoryis configured with movable brackets 2 that are designed for facilitatinga user to grasp between his/her fingers, and thereby, to be used as ahandle for the tablet computer 4 when the handheld accessory is attachedthereto, the handheld accessory can be very helpful to a user holdingthe table computer for a substantial period of time when the handheldaccessory is arranged at its second working status, as shown in FIG. 4.Moreover, when the handheld accessory is arranged at its first workingstatus, the movable brackets 2 are retracted into the handheld accessoryfor facilitating the storage of the tablet computer 4 when the tabletcomputer is not in use. In addition, in a condition when the tabletcomputer is placed on a desktop, the movable brackets 2 that arearranged in its second working status can be used as a support forenabling the tablet computer 4 to stand on the desktop while beingtilted by an inclination angle. It is noted that since the movablebrackets 2 of the handheld accessory are coupled to the rotary component3, the tablet computer 4 can be arranged vertically or horizontallywhile being tilted by an inclination angle, and thereby, facilitatingthe viewing convenience of a user to the display panel of the tabletcomputer, especially for a comparatively long period of time.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same maybe varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

1. A handheld accessory for tablet computers, comprising: a retainingcomponent, configured with an accommodation space, that is formed insidethe retaining component, and at least two claws, that are to be used forfixedly holding on to the periphery of a tablet computer; a rotarycomponent, disposed inside the accommodation space of the retainingcomponent while allowing the same to rotation clockwisely andcounterclockwisely inside the accommodation space; and two movablebrackets, mounted on the rotary component by the use of a plurality offixing elements while allowing the two movable brackets to sway in avertical direction and in a horizontal direction on the rotarycomponent.
 2. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1,wherein the retaining component is configured with four claws.
 3. Thehandheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein theretaining component further comprises: two concaves, provided for thetwo movable brackets to be received therein in respectively while beingarranged horizontally.
 4. The handheld accessory for tablet computers ofclaim 1, wherein the retaining component further comprises: a groove,disposed at a position corresponding to a flange formed on the rotarycomponent that is provided for the flange to inset therein, and thusenable the rotary component to rotate with respect to the retainingcomponent when the rotary component is assembled to the retainingcomponent.
 5. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1,wherein the rotary component further comprises: a fixing block, providedfor the plural fixing elements to bore therethrough.
 6. The handheldaccessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein each of the twomovable brackets is configured with a handle, provided for a user tograsp between his/her fingers.
 7. The handheld accessory for tabletcomputers of claim 1, wherein each claw has a pad attached to the innerside thereof.